Two season rule?

James and I have always said we hope our kids don't get too involved with sports.  We will support them if they do, but the thought of traveling teams or being at practice and games every night of the week just sounds exhausting.

We are in the middle of our first sport.  Rylee asked to play soccer -- a sport neither James nor I know anything about.  We had 4 or 5 practices before the first game.  She impressed me at practice...she's fairly aggressive, coachable, pays attention, and truly seems to enjoy it.  We have had 2 games, and in both of them she looked like a deer in the headlights...no clue what to do.  She runs up and down the field, but doesn't seem to want to touch the ball.  She seemed a little lost as to which way the ball was supposed to go.  She often looks over at her coach, hoping he will tell her it's time to come out of the game so someone else can play.  Unfortunately, she has told us she doesn't want to play again after this season.

In our town, soccer is played in both the spring and the fall.  Because she does so well at practice and seems to genuinely enjoy practice, James and I have been discussing a 2 season rule.  Our thought behind it is that maybe playing a second season and having a different coach and teammates would bring a different experience.  It may or may not be a better experience, but at least then we would feel comfortable knowing that our child truly isn't interested enough in the sport, rather than it being a coaching or team thing that led to the un-enjoyment.

I tried several sports, but only once (other than tumbling, which I did for years).  Besides having very little athletic ability, I found that I kept joining sports a little later than my teammates and their experience put them so much further ahead than I was, making it un-enjoyable for me.  Knowing this, I want my kids to try sports early (only if they are interested in it), but I also want them to give their best effort for 2 seasons.  I will never push them after that, as I personally don't care if they play sports or not.  I would just hate to see them give up as quickly as I always did.  Plus, a little exercise isn't going to hurt them.

I do love to watch sporting events though and even if our kids don't play, we will still go cheer on their classmates for sure. Rylee and I have already attended some local sporting events.

To my athletic readers...what is your advice for children and sports??